Compare towns
Mapleton vs Brandon vs Windham vs East Machias
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Brandon has the oldest population (median age 50.1).
Windham has the most people working from home (20.5%).
East Machias has the shortest commute (18 min average).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Mapleton | Brandon | Windham | East Machias |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,884 |
4,120Highest |
594Lowest |
1,223 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | -3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±6Lowest 7% above U.S. |
50.1±3.1Highest 29% above U.S. |
44.2±7.4 14% above U.S. |
42.8±2.9 10% above U.S. |
| Brandon and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±5.1 U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±4.3 U.S.: 22% |
17.5%±7.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.3%±4.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| East Machias and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.3%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.3%±4.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
23.2%±8.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.4%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Windham and Brandon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
32.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
33.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.5%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Mapleton and East Machias are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $91,731±$25k 14% above U.S. |
$64,180±$12k 21% below U.S. |
$94,500±$12kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$57,589±$10kLowest 29% below U.S. |
| Windham and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $191,800±$23kLowest 42% below U.S. |
$227,800±$23k 32% below U.S. |
$353,900±$20kHighest 6% above U.S. |
$210,800±$23k 37% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $610±$277Lowest 57% below U.S. |
$1,064±$225Highest 25% below U.S. |
— | $907±$566 36% below U.S. |
| Brandon and East Machias are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,789Lowest 43% below U.S. |
$4,241 36% above U.S. |
$5,951Highest 91% above U.S. |
$1,836 41% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.7%±15.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
41.2%±94 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±40.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| East Machias and Brandon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
14.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
15.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
83.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1951Lowest 29 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
24 min 10% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
18 minLowest 33% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.9%±5.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
20.5%±5.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
4.1%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #69 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| School district | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Otter Valley Unified Union School District #53 | — | East Machias Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Otter Valley Union High School | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.9 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.